Ex-Chiquita Counsel Charged in Thefts

A grand jury investigating whether Chiquita banana company voicemail was stolen for a newspaper expose has indicted a former Chiquita lawyer on charges of stealing voicemail messages. George Ventura, the company’s former legal counsel in Honduras, pleaded not guilty Friday to charges of unlawful interception of communications and five counts of unauthorized access to computer systems. If convicted, he could face up to 12 1/2 years in prison. The grand jury is investigating whether reporter Mike Gallagher, formerly of the Cincinnati Enquirer, used stolen voicemail messages in articles published in May that questioned the business practices of Chiquita Brands International Inc. The articles were later retracted, and the Enquirer fired Gallagher in June.